Space may be the new frontier, but it is riddled with the same old garbage. Corrupt entities are causing problems and forces are enlisting bounty hunters to bring back order in the galaxy. As Rico the Raccoon, you’ll accept eight different missions to track down and destroy the scum in hopes of earning great wealth in the process.

On completion of each mission, you are awarded with gems for your services. These gems can be used to upgrade your ship, add more ships (lives), and install enhancement (power-up) pods. As you complete your goals, each mission can be replayed for a larger reward. Of course, you’re getting a larger reimbursement because it’s more difficult the next time around.

Don’t let the updated graphics fool you, Boss Battles will bring back the enjoyment of early ’80 classics like Asteroids, Space Invaders, and Yars’ Revenge. In fact, the story is told using the old school blue dialogue box, including corny phrases.

It isn’t just some of the UI elements that provide a nostalgic feel. The in-game view is a top-down perspective with a simple tap and drag control scheme. Navigate your ship to destroy enemies and other objects while dodging other enemies and weapon fire. For a specific example of a flashback moment, the boss battle in mission five is a definite homage to Space Invaders, protecting the boss using a horizontally moving multilevel wall of minions.

In summary, Boss Battles features:

• Freemium
- If you’re sensitive about ads in your games, this isn’t for you
• Eight missions
- Five difficulty levels per mission, each with a different bounty
• Four upgradeable weapons, from plasma to explosive
- Three different potency levels per weapon
• Eight installable pods, from shields to gem extractors to spread cannons
• 24 Game Center achievements

Boss Battles is designed for iPhone and iPod touch running iOS 3.0 or later, and available in the App Store as a free download. Boss Battles HD is compatible with iPad running iOS 3.2 or later, and available in the App Store as a free download. Game Center features require iOS 4.1 or later.